sandy dumped a record snowfall. tennessee when he became trapped, rescuers braved the cold, wind and snow to track him down. abc's clayton sandell has the story. >> reporter: steven amesworth was running out of time. >> i felt that i wouldn't make it through one night. >> reporter: he set monday in tennessee on the final leg of 2,000 mile hike, but superstorm sandy hit unexpectedly fast. dropping record levels of snow. he was stranded in a tiny shelter for three days. liking to safety impossible. >> it took me eight hours to go about a mile and a quarter. >> reporter: with food and water running out and unable to feel his freezing feet, he needed help. his phone managed just enough signal to reach 911. >> i was in pretty tough shape at that point. >> reporter: deep so snow blocked rescuers on the ground. so, on friday, this tennessee highway patrol sergeant and his team took to the skies. >> we were able to follow his footprints in the snow for approximately a mile and a half. >> reporter: but conditions turned trea